Catherine Levene

Feeling the election anxiety? You're not alone. The upcoming presidential election, coupled with economic uncertainty, has consumers on edge, impacting their buying behaviors. 🚨 Prediction alert: This fall, expect a rise in "little luxuries" while big purchases will take a back seat until after the election. Marketers take note: Beyond offering fun, ease, and lower prices, highlight products in your catalog that allow for self-gifting and provide little escapes. These small indulgences will resonate deeply with consumers while anxiety is at a high. Thanks to Libby Rodney for this fun conversation on how to prepare for the upcoming Q4, and thanks to Direct Agents for making it happen. #electionanxiety #holidayshopping #ecommerce

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It's been a year since the Association of National Advertisers launched its groundbreaking and highly impactful study on supply-chain transparency. Since that time, the category of dumpster-fire MFA waste has been reduced significantly (although still not enough), and the media buying community has gotten a degree of religion when it comes to quality inventory. But you and I know all too well that one report does not change an industry. Only ongoing reinforcement and proof of performance will sustain the momentum. For anyone still wondering why MFA-free, transparent media supply-chains are the only way you should be buying media, please join Lou Paskalis, Tim Brown and me for a compelling dialogue on Monday in Cannes, where we'll demonstrate -- unequivocally -- that the transparency juice is worth the squeeze. RSVP at https://lnkd.in/e57H55H7 #TRUSTX #Symitri #Cannes2024 #PremiumPublishers #Programmatic #ANA #DataProtection #DataSecurity #DataPrivacy #Privacy

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In today's issue of AdExchanger, Anthony Vargas discusses why media mix modeling aka MMA is back in a big and more powerful way for marketers c/o the best new solutions like FutureSight.online with the founder and CEO of the business, Marilois Snowman and measurement and research legend, Josh Chasin. Read more! #adeffectivness #MMM #measurement #attribution #omnichannelmarketing

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Perhaps you noticed media costs increasing on some key digital platforms leading up the Presidential Debate.... well you are not alone! Check out our summary and POV on what to expect and what you can do as election season continues to heat up. #media #mediaplanning #agency #analytics https://lnkd.in/g83jUYmA

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A welcome reminder on the limitations of programmatic advertising despite its incredibly widespread use. The lack of transparency regarding where ads are displayed and the quality of placements remains a significant issue. Also, programmatic platforms may not always ensure brand safety, with ads appearing alongside inappropriate or harmful content. On top of that, relying solely on programmatic channels can limit the control advertisers have over ad placements and targeting parameters. And this is before we get to the demise of the 3rd party cookie. Interesting article to read and not surprised Bloomberg switched to a clean, direct-sold model. #DigitalAdvertising #Programmatic #Monetisation #OnlineAdvertising

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I presented a more detailed look at the impact of AI on media brands in a webinar today hosted by Valuebound. In this report, I dove deeper into what's going in with Media and AI and at opportunities media tech teams can leverage AI for in their tech stack. Check it out by downloading this PDF. If you need help on this front, drop me a line.

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No matter how great the underlying strategy is, ad creative has a major impact on the performance of CTV campaigns. That's why we're teaming up with experts from Innovid, Spaceback, and Sharethrough to discuss CTV creative best practices. Register for tomorrow’s webinar to get all the details: https://lnkd.in/gMgAt6St Can’t attend? No problem. We'll share the recording and additional resources for upping ROAS with all registrants. #conntectedtv #advertising #streamingmedia

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We're moving into a more open world. This article is an interesting analysis of the transformative power of AI and the importance of being transparent about its use. The study discussed here found that transparency from advertisers builds trust and also generates positive brand equity. Given the fact that advertisers have adopted AI much faster than consumers, this means that the onus is now on brands to communicate properly to build and maintain consumer trust. And it's important to note that transparency not only builds trust with consumers but also ensures ethical use of data and algorithms. #Transparency #EthicalAI #DigitalMarketing #EthicalAdvertising

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Great post from Grace Carney Union Square Ventures on The Fragmentation Of Search: https://lnkd.in/egwnR95D Are consumers willing to pay for Search? We'll be able to answer that question in a subset of what current search excludes, when we launch our edtech MVP of MakeLoveNotPorn Academy in a few months' time: https://lnkd.in/e3jbrak6 - the aggregator hub for the best of the world's #sexed, searchable by age-appropriateness, cultural sensibility etc. At a time when open healthy #sexed is being censored and deplatformed everywhere (including deliberately in search), parents and teachers have told me for years, we'll pay anything for this service (while VCs/investors have refused to fund anything to do with this topic). We'll see - watch this space 😎

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Curious about how to navigate the ever-changing influencer landscape? Join me tomorrow at Morning Brew's NYC event, "Perfecting Your Influencer IQ" where I'll be speaking with Mae Karwowski, Founder & CEO, Obviously & Kyle Hagge, Chief of Staff, Morning Brew about: 🌟 Consumer Sentiments: Understand the current attitudes and behaviors about influencers. 💡 Maximizing ROI: Strategies to leverage influencer partnerships effectively. 📈 Trends: Discuss the latest trends shaping the influencer landscape and how to stay ahead. It's not too late to register: https://lnkd.in/dwvaDSiZ #InfluencerMarketing #ROI #ConsumerInsights #MarketingTrends #MorningBrew

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Check out Noble People's latest mic drop, this time with an Op-ed in MediaPost penned by our very own wiseman Danny Weisman! We all know that the hours Americans spent watching streaming services last year surpassed linear viewing for the first time, but the buying opportunities are changing much more rapidly than consumer behavior.   As we gear up for the annual upfront dance next month, it's critical that marketers change their approach to streaming and invest in the future NOW.    Amazon and Walmart are now crashing the Netflix streaming party with significantly enhanced offerings, and with their collective data targeting capabilities, are going to upend the streaming market to your advantage. These three players will become known as the "Big Three" in streaming.   Danny's recommendations for a buying strategy that captures this new opportunity?   1 / You can still get in early for deals, so jump on it!   2 / Change your CTV mix to build your approach around the Big Three for the long haul.   3 / Get your measurement house in order because we're about to enter a whole new world of black boxing similar to those created by the social and search platforms. Full article here: https://lnkd.in/eQqH3TbQ #streaming #tvstrategy #video #mediastrategy #netflix #amazon #walmart #2024upfronts #tvbuying #tvnetworks #mediabuying #mediastrategy

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Jounce Media's newly published State of the Open Internet Report explains the industry’s chronic bidstream congestion issue and how to address it. This latest research highlights the trend toward consolidation we are seeing on the supply side and is a must-read.

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Here's my latest issue of Bot Marketing, where I provide a list and overview of my readings, podcasts, etc., for the past week about the intersection of AI and marketing. I found the podcast Jack Mayer's Legends and Leadership especially informative about the impact of AI on Media. This episode included an interview with Mike Linton, renowned Chief Marketing Officer, and former agency President Jeff Culliton, now host and Executive Producer of the CMO Confidential podcast. Enjoy!

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Streaming is surpassing cable, and it's likely due to the control that viewers have over what they watch and when (along with other factors). I know I sure do subscribe to quite a few services which gets expensive. IAB CEO David Cohen told Axios, "I think that there's a lot to be said for the power of the bundle. Consumers are not going to subscribe to seven or eight things, they simply can't afford that." We have to start adding layers. Investing in streaming isn't enough — we also need to add bundles that make financial sense to consumers who are now faced with the task of choosing which services they can afford. #IAB #Streaming #Bundles #StreamingServices

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I am pleased to share that my latest article, "The Growing Complexity of Today’s Media Buying," is now live on the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) website. In this piece, I delve into the evolving challenges and opportunities within the digital advertising landscape.   My goal was to highlight the following issues: #EvolutionofMediaBuying: From simple print negotiations to navigating platforms like DV360, Meta, Amazon, and Walmart’s retail media networks. #BrandSafetyandBudgetWastage: The importance of protecting brand reputation and avoiding costly inefficiencies. #StrategicExpertiseRequired: The need for a strategic approach and deep understanding of digital platforms. #OpportunitiesAmidstComplexity: How mastering digital nuances can open new doors for brands. For a deeper dive into these insights, check out the full article!   #DigitalMarketing #MediaBuying #BrandSafety #AdTech #MarketingStrategy   https://lnkd.in/dNBgeM9s

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How Adelaide is helping publishes like the NYT realize the value of their inventory.

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💡 #Brands Take note how the #NYPost mitigated #cookiepocalypse risk by using Aqfer's identity resolution tech, informed by Prohaska Consulting. In a post 3rd party cookie 🍪 world killer content and segmentation hooked to an adtech #frankenstack results in risk & loss. Pubs and brands need their own 1st party IDR systems to avoid fragmented customer views that result from multiple ID providers & other partners who are all hooked to each other in an attempt to create their own scale. This many-to-many-middlemen scenario has plagued adtech from the start. The result is redundancy, media waste, inconsistent customer experiences and inaccurate measurement. Think of Aqfer IDR like Data tech’s version of SPO 😉 #DPO, enabling clients like the NYPost, to get a single, deduplicated, omnichannel view of their customers. More here - https://lnkd.in/ggjDGWn5 https://lnkd.in/gTNURTu2

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